Merlin Who Can Throw Knives
by booksdragonmagicfiddle
Summary: Because Merlin really needs more talents than just magic.


Arthur, for whatever reason, had decided that it was important to know how to throw knives. Merlin wasn't even sure that Arthur knew what Arthur was thinking half the time. What went through that unusually prat-ish head of his … And it was _hot. _Why he thought it was a good idea – only the Old Religion would know. So, here they were, The Knights of the Round Table – plus Merlin – in all their sweat soaked glory, throwing knives.

THUNK

"Careful Gwaine!" The knife that Gwaine had only moments ago thrown, had sunk deep into the outer most ring of the target. Lancelot's target. Gwaine privately blamed it on the two caskets of ale that he had the night before. Had he known what they were going to be doing that day – he would have had three. As it was he only had a splitting headache. Not enough to get him out of training.

Arthur was growing steadily more exasperated as the afternoon wore on. He had of course, initially thought it was a brilliant idea. But that was before he found out that none of the Knights of the Round Table could throw knives. He would have thought that it would have been something Gwaine would have known how to do. It was just that sort of thing. But no. He was the worst out of the lot. He couldn't even hit his own target most of the time. He did hit it once. But that was due to a poorly timed sneeze. By Arthur's books, it didn't count. It wasn't Gwaine's sneeze. Lancelot and Elyan were not too bad, but they were still weren't very good. They could at least hit their own target most if not all of the time. They had gotten better though. So at least that was something.

Leon was only slightly better at it than Lancelot and Elyan. Where they would get the two outermost rings almost constantly, Leon would get the second outermost ring most of the time. The middle ring if he was lucky. Percival, was surprisingly the best at it. The knife almost always found its way into the middle ring most of the time. Arthur himself was about the same. But at least he could hold his knife correctly!

It certainly did not help Arthur's mood that Merlin had sat their growing steadily more amused as the practice continued. He had, of course been sharpening the dulled knives as he sat there grinning, so at least he was doing his work. Lazy dollophead. He had stat on the side lines grinning like a loon for most of their 'practice'. It was almost as if he knew something they didn't.

"So _Mer_lin, is there something you would like to share? Or are you going to sit their grinning like a loon for the rest of the day?" Merlin just looked at Arthur, looked at the knife Lancelot had just thrown – it had sunk deep into the outmost edge of the target, his worst throw yet – looked back to Arthur, and promptly burst out laughing. "_Mer_lin, what do you find so funny about this?" Merlin just continued to laugh. "Well?" Merlin just silently shook his head. "Well then _Mer_lin, as you are obviously finding this _so _funny, why don't you have a try? Hmm?" But, much to Arthur's surprise, Merlin just gave a nonchalant shrug, stood up – still grinning – and walked over to Gwaine's target. Merlin turned so that he was facing Arthur – back to the target – and flipped the knife in his hands a few times. By this point the knights had stopped what their own pitiful attempts and were watching Merlin. And where had he pulled that from? It was rather clear that Merlin did indeed know what he was doing. Then he just tossed the knife over his shoulder, point first.

THUNK

It hit dead centre. Merlin looked round to see where it had hit. Nodded to himself and looked back at the knights. Their expressions were _priceless_.

Now Gwaine was laughing. Lancelot just had a _look_ on his face, Leon was muttering, and Eliot's expression still hadn't changed. "Why do _you _of all people _Mer_lin know how to _throw knives_?" And Arthur was apparently in denial. "I used to practice a lot with Will back in Ealdor." Was Merlins answer. "Knives are a lot easier to get than swords. Though that one" here Merlin motioned to the knife he had just thrown, "was a lot better balanced than the ones we used. I'm kind of still surprised that I could do it. I haven't thrown a knife since before I came to Camelot." Was all Merlin said with a shrug. The knights – Arthur included – just looked dumbfounded. "You mean to tell me _Mer_lin, that you do not only know how to throw knives? But haven't thrown one in years?" Merlin just gave another shrug, and went back to sharpening knives. Gwaine was laughing again.

**Fin**


End file.
